Kishan Reddy tipped to return as party president

Sources say Prime Minister Modi Modi has not yet approved a change of guard in Telangana unit of the BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party central command appears to have finally bitten the bullet and is likely to bring about a change in the Telangana leadership and has “almost made up its mind” to make Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region Development G. Kishan Reddy as the next president.

The incumbent and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar is slated to be taken into the Central Cabinet as an Minister of State with independent portfolio. The big decision was necessitated following an ultimatum issued by the dissenting group led by former minister Eatala Rajender and others that they would be forced to shift their loyalties if there is going to be no leadership change, top party sources informed on Friday.

Party general secretary Sunil Bansal is said to have sounded Mr. Kishan Reddy about being considered for the State unit chief post. This is after a meeting of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J. P. Nadda and B.L. Santosh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi where the issue of changing the party presidents of certain States, including Telangana, figured. While it was agreed to have new chiefs, Mr. Modi, has not yet approved change of guard in Telangana, they claimed.

The other name being considered is national vice president and former minister D.K. Aruna, but it is said to be a long shot. It is reported that former MLA Komitireddy Rajagopal Reddy also threw his hat into the ring to complicate things forcing the central leadership to look afresh at a tried and trusted party veteran in Mr. Kishan Reddy though the latter himself is said to be ‘reluctant’.

While all the people concerned have been crying themselves hoarse about ‘no leadership change’ in the last few days, it is clear that the party unit has been imploding with charges and counter-charges. Leaks to the media against one another is passe, the latest is tweets or memes against the party leadership or the against the detractors with Dubbak MLA M. Raghunandan Rao being the latest to join the bandwagon. He complained about being ‘ignored’ in the party.

Another former minister K. Vijayarama Rao tweeted imploring the central leadership not to change the president as it could be lead to more leaders ‘going out’ than ‘joining in’. All this social media drama seem to have prompted former MLC N. Ramchander Rao to tweet requesting dissenters not to wash ‘dirty linen in public’, but discuss any differences internally within the party. But, no one seems to be in a mood to listen especially when the majority of dissenters have been defectors from other parties.